BOOK ONE: Six Charms and a Locked Locket
by Rurple101
Summary: COMPLETE! Full summary inside - WRITTEN BY Rurple101 & BiGbLuEeYeS1136 - ALL COPYRIGHT BELONGS TO: Tim Burton, Linda Wolveton & Lewis Carroll. WE OWN THE PLOT!
1. Summary

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Summary:**

_"Tarrant..." Queen Mirana said quietly, stepping in. "Give it to her before she leaves."_

_She started to walk away, leaving just the two of them there, standing in front of the dead Jabberwocky's head, still dripping the purple blood off it fangs._

_Tarrant detached one of his hands and reached inside his jacket's pocket. He pulled it out and cupped it in his hand, hiding it for the moment from Alice. He undid his other free hand, stretching out Alice's within it until he dropped it in to her open palm._

_Alice, distracted for the moment, despite her curiosity opened her palm to reveal a silver chain with six charms upon it. There was also a silver locket which seemed shut._

_"What is it?" she whispered, taking the chain and raising it so she could see the little charms._

_"Gifts, from some of us, little things that will help you remember us if you forget...again." The Hatter mumbled, hiding his awaiting grief away from Alice. It would only put her off._

Alice is given a charm neckalce as to help her remember her Wonderland when she returns to her stubborn victorian background. The only hope the Hatter has is the chamr locket that he and his friends of Underland had given to Alice, little charms to represent some of them. Only there is a locket which when Alice returns confused, cannot open. Little dose she realise that she must remember each of her friends via the charm necklace to open the locket and return home and to her Hatter.

**Please review and tell us if this sounds good to you. The first chapter is already wirtten but me and Jazz are seeing if we can get some good reviews beforehand. We are both working on the idea and the story was thought up after seeing the fantastic movie yesterday again for the second time (still disapointed with the not even a hug!). Remember that it's just not me but my friend (as noted above under the story name) that its my friends work as well. The locket was inspired on the charm necklace from claires which is cool. :)**

**Rurple101 & _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_**

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	2. Leaving Underland

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter One**

"You could stay here you know" he mumbled softly at her ear. Alice's insides felt sick at herself as she turned, lowering the vial of Jabberwocky blood in and smiled sadly.

"What an idea..." she mumbled back, more enthusiastically than Tarrant Hightopp had as he looked down at her gloomily.

"...what a marvellous, crazy wonderful idea!"

Then she sighed, shuffling her feet. She had just killed Underland's most fearsome creature and now she had another tough choice. She knew what she must do, the logical and smart choice to do. It was the proper thing to do.

_Proper_, it made her remind herself of asking what is proper. Her father had explained that it is what you wish for the most in the world. But she had two worlds, Underland or back "home" to her family...and the horrific engagement party.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a roughly bandaged hand, reaching and taking her own, holding it within both of his as he looked pleadingly at her. She was beautiful and brave and honest and kind and the most wonderful person he'd ever met. Yet here they stood, him begging at her to stay.

"There are things I need to answer and things I need to do. I escaped from a horrific engagement party and left the guy hanging. It would be the best thing to decline him fair and square" she said softly and quietly.

"...then I need to finish that my father wanted me to do. When that is over, I will be straight back here...to Underland...to _you_, Hatter."

"You won't remember me" he admitted in a chilling whisper. Alice's blood ran cold; she was already scared she was going to forget him, even if she tried not to.

The common sense hit his brain like freezing ice cold water on a boiling hot day. He sighed and his eyes turned a clear sky blue. Alice's courage was withering; little did the Hatter know that she was fighting a battle within herself.

"Tarrant..." Queen Mirana said quietly, stepping in. "Give it to her before she leaves."

She started to walk away, leaving just the two of them there, standing in front of the dead Jabberwocky's head, still dripping the purple blood off it fangs.

Tarrant detached one of his hands and reached inside his jacket's pocket. He pulled it out and cupped it in his hand, hiding it for the moment from Alice. He undid his other free hand, stretching out Alice's within it until he dropped it in to her open palm.

Alice, distracted for the moment, despite her curiosity opened her palm to reveal a silver chain with six charms upon it. There was also a silver locket, which seemed shut.

"What is it?" she whispered, taking the chain and raising it so she could see the little charms.

"Gifts, from some of us, little things that will help you remember us if you forget...again." The Hatter mumbled, hiding his awaiting grief away from Alice. It would only put her off.

There was pocket watch (which after she checked had squimberry jam and butter inside), a mini tea cup, a little rabbit charm, a red heart, a key that looked oddly familiar and a little hat charm.

"Thank you" she murmured, looking back up at him and smiling shortly. _Truth be told_ she didn't want to leave Underland...to leave her friends....the Queen, McTwisp, the Tweedles, Chess, Bayard and more importantly Hatter.

"I want you to have this then" she whispered quietly. She pulled out her handkerchief from her exposed pocket in between her champion's amour. It was a light blue and had the word _Alice_, sewed into the fabric. The Hatter took it with soft eyes, threatening his tears to spill over just like Alice might. He smelt the silky cloth and it smelled of her. He mentally mannered a weak smile but he knew what was coming.

She saw the deep sadness in his eyes and had to hold back her raging tears behind the glassy lids. The Hatter could see her sadness and pulled her into a hug.

She let out a long deep breathed sigh as he rubbed soothing circles on her back and stroked her long golden locks. She welcomed his embrace, feeling safer than she ever had before and relished the feeling...while it lasted.

"Don't yer worry about me, m'lady" he grunted in his Scottish accent. "I'm a big boy, now. Yer just look after yerself."

"I _have_ to go" Alice said, releasing just a few of the many tears.

"But I really don't want to. I'm scared that I'll forget, that I won't be able to get back, that....my mother will eventfully force me out of the family home if I won't marry...I'm tired of my home life yet I know I need to say goodbye to them."

"You do yer job" he said, still stoking her hair and holding her close. "Just promise me that yer won't, despite your efforts by the means of that wee gift, forget me. I won't forget you Alice."

"As long as you promise me something" she said seriously, pulling back and looking him in the eyes.

"Yes, m'lady?"

"If you miss me so badly that you will control your "madness" and not..." she wavered, thinking out her words.

"..._lose_ it completely" she decided. "...I don't want you worrying. _Trust_ me, I will come back. Stay cheerful, don't be upset. Act as if I'm just gone on a short holiday."

He looked at her for a second longer than necessary after her carefully said words and smiled. He seemed quite flattered that she was so scared about him. But, he knew what she meant. He would feel exactly the same. He would miss her radiating presence and that he always felt hope when she was around. Despite it, he knew that the monster side of him would control him, the mutterings that Alice was in fact lying and didn't want him. He inhaled her scent, closing his eyes and placing his chin on top of her head. He held in his sorrow as he finally realised that this was it; time to say goodbye. He opened his eyes as he saved it to his memory looking back down at her.

He took the charm necklace out of her hand and fastened it around her neck so it dangled just above her stomach. Alice noticed that he was being careful and his hands were soft even though they were roughly bandaged. The Hatter was gentle, kind, brave, heroic and downright mad; which is why she would miss her best friend. He put his hand to his cheek and gazed into her eyes.

Alice opened the lid to the bottle and poured the contents down her throat. It burned and she gagged slightly. The last thing she saw was the Hatter leaning forward and whispered, painfully in her ear:

"Fairfarren _dearest_ Alice. You will always be in my mind, no matter how mad I am."

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	3. Back To Above

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Two**

Alice was climbing, reaching for root after root up the muddy and dusty hole. What a horrible place to fall and hit her head, she thought to herself. She straightened up, out of the rabbit hole and dusted her dress clean, well as clean as she could get it.

It was then that she noticed the charm necklace, dangling from her neck. Surely she wouldn't receive a gift of sorts if she merely fell. She had a vague feeling of familiarity with the necklace and decided to keep it on. Touching the silver chain she felt like she was remembering; exactly what was a mystery to her but she shrugged it off before hurrying back to the party.

The party had some-what drooped in excitement after Alice Kingsleigh had dashed away from a stunned Hamish a mere five minutes ago. It was a shock therefore when Lady Ascot was looking around bored and disappointed when she saw Alice return, her dress ruffled and mud covered. She had leaves in her long hair which had become undone since she'd fled. Helena Kingsleigh went over to her at once.

"Alice, dear are you alright?" she asked, a trace of hysteria entering her voice. Alice's Sister Margaret came over to her and put her hand on her younger sister's shoulder. "_Alice_?"

Alice seemed very far away, her thought were being scanned by an intruder in her mind and she had frozen as she rounded the corner to the garden, a few feet from the gazebo.

"Well?" came the harsh and insulted tone of Hamish Ascot, standing up proud and sticking his nose in the air. Alice came to herself then and glared at him in disapproval.

"I cannot marry you Hamish" she stated, earning a few gasps of shock and a few ladies collapsed to the floor.

Alice sighed "You ladies should eat more if you have poor balance" she said coldly and turned back to her mother and sister.

"Alice...would you prefer to have a lie down? You don't seem yourself." Her mother's words sparkled a memory of a...figure in her mind. She remembered she and to remember someone, something, but she couldn't remember it. The harder she tried to remember, the more it got further away.

"No..." she said, still far away. Lady Ascot came forward and looked furious. "I'd like to have a word with you...Miss Kingsleigh" she spat, visible signs of dislike. Alice in fact, chuckled madly and tried to hide her smile.

"You remind me so much of a beheaded queen! She never knew when to keep her trap shut either." she said, her smile weak but her humour present.

There were another few gasps and nervous chuckled from behind them. Lady Ascot shot her a dirty look before walking towards her house, without saying another word.

Alice walked over to Lord Ascot who she knew was a lot kinder than his wife. "We have business to discuss." She smiled and he beamed, sensing what his late friend and business colleague's daughter was going to say.

"Let us speak in the study" he said, guiding the way through the party guests. Alice nodded and followed him.

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	4. Shock Of Loss

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Three**

The Mad Hatter walked slowly but quietly back to his home near Tulgey Wood. He didn't live that far away from the March Hare for which he usually was gratefully for. Not tonight. He kicked the gate open, opened the front door slowly, closed it as normal and stood there for ten whole seconds.

_One...two... three...four... five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten..._

His tears spilled over and he lowered his head, his inner grief tugging at his insides and a mental picture of Alice hung there in his kind, taunting him to take the bite...

It was like a forbidden fruit that his mind was playing with him, he knew the routine. Image and the walls came crashing down. He let out a strangled sob and then clasped his mouth shut with his hands. No, he mustn't lose it, he promised her...

The thought of her name was bearable bit he still sobbed harder than ever. Stumbling over to the hallway, he ran along it and into his bedroom. He pulled out his own handkerchief, holding her gift in his other hand. He lay there for nearly two hours sobbing and curling up into a ball, wrapping his arms around his knees and squeezing every last sob from his body.

He wasn't angry, he wasn't annoyed, and he just incredibly missed his close and comforting best friend. He had before, even though he had friends, had been so lonely since his clan died. Then a nineteen year old Alice came along and he felt so happy at the sight of her, remembering how she was when she was younger.

The Hatter squeezed his eyes shut and forced the image of Alice to fill his tired mind: her radiating beauty, the sound of bells that was her voice when she laughed or complimented him. He had felt so alive free and…sane even. He had felt fireworks explode in his chest when she had smiled at him; goose bumps erupt on his arms when she was fighting the Jabberwocky on Frabjous Day. Instead of easing his misery, it made the Hatter only experience enormous grief and sadness. He rolled over and took a deep breath before sleep swept over him. He was sure to have nightmares but not for the moment.

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	5. White Rabbit?

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Four**

_She remembered herself muttering a lame excuse and baking away from the stares of the people around her and Hamish. She also realised she had run from the scene following…something. And it was that something that made Alice angry at herself. It seemed so easy to remember yet when she tried to remember she could not. _

_It was something white she was sure of it but it was very blurry and fuzzy which didn't help her clear the vision out. _

_She saw the figure stop and glance at his pocket watch, the noise making a very clear ticking and he jumped when she approached him. He started running again and whipped around a tree trunk. Alice was running too quickly to stop and tripped on a tree root. The last thing she remembered what she was falling down to the darkness which would swallow her up. She was still falling down…down…down…_

She jerked awake, sweating and panting hard. What _was that dream about?!_ She looked around her room and saw it was empty, not dark and not outside at all. She wasn't falling; she was safe in her warm bed. Too warm she thought and got out and walked around the room, mulling over her dream as her heart returned to its normal rate.

She didn't realise that she was fiddling with the charm necklace until she looked down. She was clutching the rabbit charm in particular and gasped.

She had been chasing a _rabbit_, she remembered the rabbit very clearly when she though the dream over. _But what was the darkness? _

That would have to wait as she continued walking around her bedroom. Now she concentrated on the rabbit, he had a job…he was…doing his job and she had been curious and followed him away from the horrible proposal. But why couldn't she remember anything after the falling? She sighed and went back to bed, still thinking about the mysterious rabbit.

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**So Alice had started thinking about her lovely Wonderland?**

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	6. Meeting About Alice

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Five**

The very White Rabbit in question was hurrying along a corridor in the white queen's castle. He was meant to be in a very important meeting with Her majesty and the Royal hatter but certain things had excited him into further work. He was very late.

"Move aside! I'm the white Queen's Royal Page!" Nivens McTwisp ordered to the guards outside the Royal quarters. The guards grunted in response and obeyed him. Nivens knocked on the door and a charming voiced answered "Come in!" from inside.

Pushing the door open and allowing himself inside, Nivens closed it after him and walked further into the room, making the White Queen: Mirana of Marmoreal beam at the sight of him.

She wore a dazzling (to newcomers) pearl white dress like a more elegant and causal manner to Cinderella. Her white blonde hair was the chair to the little silver crown perched upon her head, representing her royalty to Underland. Her hair blew across her face momentarily when the breeze coming from the open balcony doors blew into the room peacefully.

"Come sit Nivens" she said invitingly as she returned sipping delicately on her sweet cherry tea which had been served on the coffee table around a little seating area with big white and fluffy chairs. There were three chairs available and the Queen sat in one in front of the other two.

"Good afternoon Your Majesty" Nivens said walking towards the Queen and her guest who was none other than the Mad Hatter himself. He was looking out of the open balcony doors to the beautiful sunset outside as the day drew closer to a close. He had his teacup in his hands and hadn't moved for other six minutes.

"How are you today Tarrant?" Nivens asked as he sat down next to him. Tarrant Hightopp looked around slowly, realising where he was and shook his head and replaced his far away mourning expression with a pained but very forced weak smile

"I am fine Nivens my friend, just a little tired. Not much sleep last night was all down to much, way too much lavender tea. I was having a very sore head yesterday and felt the need to rid it at once." He took a sip of his cherry tea as to prove a point. Nivens didn't miss a beat but sighed.

"You come with good news then Nivens?" Mirana asked, her excitement not quite being withheld. The Mad Hatter sighed sadly. He knew what was happening. He had guessed it by the way the Queen was so happy this morning when he arrived for work.

Queen Mirana paused and took in the Hatter's unhappy façade. She saw through it, who wouldn't? Anybody who knew Tarrant well knew he was putting a good face on. And she knew what would make him this unhappy but keeps it up. _Alice_.

"I'm guessing…this is something you wouldn't want to know Tarrant?" she asked timidly.

The Hatter seemed to sigh louder and turned towards the Queen. "I have a very clever guess Mirana but I still don't understand why you must feel I am needed on this meeting, in this room, with you two and…" he was rambling.

"Hatter?" Mirana said. He didn't stop, he only got faster turning into Outlandish and Mirana sighed.

"_TARRANT_!" Nivens yelled, throwing a teacup at the Hatter. It knocked his hat off but it had its effect. His eyes returned to the sinisterly yellow colour that he was sporting lately and sighed again.

"I have been to Aboveland and been checking on Alice's progress" he continued. The Hatter didn't seem to react but inside he paused in his fight with himself.

"How…how is she?" he failed to mutter normally but he was nervous. He had to admit he was really missing her – but to admit that, he had to unleash the battle, which Alice had asked him to keep at bay. Doing them both at the same time was really hard.

"She had actually made plans with her life. She regrettable, has forgotten the key points of her life here but she has background memories. There are times when she'll stop, clutching her charm necklace and look far away." Nivens said.

"Well done Nivens!" Queen Mirana said happily. Alice, Underland's Champion would return, she knew it.

"She still carries the necklace?" Tarrant asked, despite his cool.

"Yes, she seems attached to it and always wears it. Even when her mother invited a group of suitors around, she refused to take it off. It was quite funny to witness her arguing as she dosen't want to get married. She voiced that she hates the society that women must marry and in her position, it is key." Nivens chuckled. Mirana chuckled as well.

"I can picture Alice doing that." Tarrant said. He seemed happy that she didn't want to get married. Not that he was interested, she was just his friend. "Her muchness is still intact then?"

"Very much so. He said.

"Nivens has been monitoring…Alice's progress for the past week and we have good results." Queen Mirana continued.

"You're speaking of her as if she was a science experiment" The Hatter said, slightly irritated. Why should she (despite being the Queen) be able to talk of her champion in that way? He wasn't going to allow it slip through his piercing gaze. Queen Mirana's smile faltered slightly.

"Alice has kept the necklace on at all times and seems to feel a connection towards it. I am not too sure as I cannot read her mind but she seems to know what two of the charms represent. She seems to experience very realistic dreams and wakes up suddenly. She screamed when she woke up and remembering the…red of hearts charm. Would you like to know what she was yelling Tarrant?" Nivens asked.

"She was screaming 'Not Hatter! Not Hatter!' But she didn't realise she was screaming it herself." Nivens continued without an answer. Tarrant's lips tugged at the sides and made him smile slightly, the closet thing to a smile that he'd ever had since she left.

Queen Mirana beamed. "What about the other dream?"

Nivens smiled slightly himself. "She had the first dream and was clutching the rabbit charm, so she properly is along the lines to figuring out how to return. But there is bad news." He said, knowing he had to say it but not wanting to.

"What is it?" The Hatter asked, more animatedly than before.

"She has planned, when she first came back to her world, to expand her late father's trading company…to China. A far distant country and plans to set sail this Saturday evening. She'll be away for several years if she goes." Nivens trailed off sadly.

"How long?" The Hatter said in a quite scarily voice. Nivens looked up and saw the Hatter's eyes were getting darker around the edge.

"Tarrant…please." Mirana said, putting a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Please calm down. Ever heard the phrase, 'don't shoot the messenger'?"

"How long will she be Nivens?" he asked, calming down a bit.

"If…if she realises what is happening before the end of the week, she'll be here on that Saturday Night." Nivens said, looking warily at the Hatter.

He gave a nod of the head and closed his eyes. The Queen motioned to Nivens and they both left the Hatter alone. He got up and walked outside to the balcony and looked over Underland.

He remembered being on this very balcony of the eve of Frabjous Day, with his sweet Alice and talking cheerily to her, convincing that she wasn't dreaming and was _The Alice_. He had been the only one who obediently believed in her. Mirana only knew it was Alice only because the hatter had been so certain and given himself to the Red Queen for her. That was some loyalty.

_Don't loose your head!_ He screamed at himself, taking his hat off and placing it on the floor behind him. He put his head in his hands and sighed loudly and deeply. He was at least trying. He could not be blamed for trying. Surely Alice would forgive him. She had made him promise to himself – she was helping him and that was her parting wish. She was basically said 'look after yourself'.

"_You won't remember me"_

"_Of course I will! How could I forget?"_

Maybe it was the magic of Underland. Maybe she had not purposely forgotten. From what McTwisp had said, she hadn't forgotten. Just it had been fogged by confusion. He would remain faithful. "Oh Alice…" he sighed.

"_I'll miss you when I wake up."_

"Alice – if you are asleep, then surly you have just woken up? But just because you are gone dose not mean that me being here is your imagination? I must be real.

"_This is impossible!"_

"_Only if you believe it is." _He'd told her confidently. He remembered looking into her eyes with a sideways glance and smiled when he saw a sparkle in her eye, like she was reminded of something.

"_Sometimes, I believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast!" _she recited, making him smile at her muchness.

_Six impossible things…_he thought. He'd thought it a magnificent idea at the time, only to remind her of a massive Jabberwocky walking forward from the Red Queen's side of the chessboard.

"…Alice…pleases hurry back. Please remember me…I know who you are. I remember you."

"Hatter?" came a small voice from behind him. He whirled around and gasped in shock.

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	7. Dream Of A Memory

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Six**

Alice jolted awake for the third time that week. Panting she felt beads of sweat slide down her pale face. She grabbed the necklace dangling from her neck and looked at the charm she was holding. A little key. She paused and thought back to the dream she'd just had.

_Down and down she was falling. After what seemed hours she collapsed onto a marble white floor. Looking up she was surrounded by a hall of doors. The room again went slightly blurry. She looked down at herself and saw she was a mere six year old verson of herself! _

_She went to the doors, desprate to get out fo the strange room. After turning each doorknob with no sucess, she sat on the floor and was about to cry when she noticed a curatin, drapped so it was covering the floor. She got up, curious and swept it aside._

_There was a miniture door there and it seemed to be ... alive. She could see rays of light coming from under the door and she grinned to herself. The only problem she ahd was that when she turned the key in the lock and it swung open: was that she was way too big to fit! She turned around and saw a bottle of amber liquid on upon the table._

_Recklessly, she grabbed it. There was a label reading _Drink Me _which to Alice, sounded werid. She undid the cork and took a big gulp._

_Gross! She thought as she shrunk to the size of a dormouse, well slightly bigger. She looked up and moaned. She had left the key upon the glass table and it was there through the see-through material, taunting her._

_That's just not fair! she thought as she jumped to get it - no such luck._

_Then she noticed a little box with a simply beautiful cake, which had the words _Eat Me _written in the icing._

_This isn't right, she thought. Never the less (or wiser) she grabbed it and took a bite._

_Ooops! Before she could blink she was the size of a massive statue, like the many ones she'd seen in the photos her father had shown her when he went abroad._

_Not time to think about that!, I need to get out of this mes! Think Alice!!_

_She took a tiny sip of the disgusting drink and beforre she knew it she was the same height. She took the key and ran over to the door._

_She turned the key and gasped as the door swung open to reveal..._

That, it seemed to herself a normal nineteen year old Alice Kingsleigh, had been where her dream had ended and her knew her memory was hiding something from her.

She held the miniture key and starred at it. It seemed to be the very same key in her flashback..._wait_! FLASHBACK?!

"Alice?" came a voice behind her bedroom door.

"Yes?" Alice said, trying to hide her shock.

"Are you alright dear? It's your mother - a mother who wishes you to get married..."

Alice got up to the door and wrentched it open to reveal her harrssing mother, Helena Kingsleigh in a pale cream nightgrown with a candle in her hand.

"Please Alice..."

"No...I thought I explained this! Don't you ever take a hint you..." Alice started to feel another familar rant coming on.

"Allison Kingsleigh! Stop that tone at once!"

"Stop it with the marriage rants! I _Don't_. Want. To. Get. Married!!!!"

"But...."

"NO BUTS!" she hissed and turned, slamming the door in her mother's angered face.

"Alice!"

"GO AWAY! TRYING TO SLEEP!!!" Alice was shocked at her outrage and felt temmors coming on. Her mother seemed to take the hint and Alice heard the creak of the floorboards as she walked away.

_Stupid woman...stupid life...stupid socitiy...why do I feel like I'm not meant to be here....in this...world?_ Alice asked herself.

Alice shurgged and turned over in her bed, closing her eyes and then dreamt again...only her mind was playing her another flashback - one that knew would make her remember everything...

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	8. Talk With Mally

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Seven**

The Hatter jumped and whirled round in shock. The he relaxed.

"Hello Mally." he sighed and turned back to the evening's sunset. It was ridiculas that he had to jump to very wild conclusions...

"Hatta? Are you alright?" Mally asked, climbing up onto the stand where he was leaning.

"No...not in my mind Mally." he said gloomily. Then he smiled at her "But...I'm alright....overall. Just got worried for a moment. You gave me such a fright..."

"You thought I was Alice didn't you?" she asked, softly.

He sighed and slumped. "Maybe, maybe not. Hard to tell my dear friend."

"You shouldn't give up on her - she keeps her promises, either if she knows or not! Look at her past visits!"

The Hatter smiled at when he first met Alice Kingsleigh - a very shy but determined, bursting with muchness and helpfulness while only six years old! Even though she'd only just arrived and was new, he'd greeted her with open arms and looked after her.

"I remember her at the age of six...she was so small" Mally sighed. "Not the kind of small with drinking the....you know what I mean. The age thing." she admitted. the Hatter chuckled at his little friend.

"Aye. I remember when she went to pour a tea and you were asleep in the teapot!" he laughed at the memory.

Mally laughed with him.

"She was ever so sorry when she saw I was inside!" she said.

"She was very kind and sweet" The Hatter admitted. A little blush appeared on his usually white cheeks and Mally sighed.

"Think of her - she'll be fine." she soothed. He nodded and followed his friend inside.

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**Sorry it was a short chapter!**

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	9. Remembers Hatter

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Eight**

_She was walking down a path, full of jungle but there was a clearing ahead of her. She hurried up, her blue silky but torn peticoats sliding as she sprinted down the pebble path and her hair flew from behind her._

_She stopped at the end to which there was a gap (where a presummed gate should have been) and looked around curiously. It was dark and gloomy if you had asked on first sighting. There was an old windmill which had been singed and there was a very long table. But what made Alice gasp, she reconized it from her previous dreams was that is was completley laid down with teacups, teapots, saucers, tillars of cake and god knows everything to expected or guessed to have at a tea party._

_There were free 'people' at the table. There was a small dormouse, now what was her name? Molly...Mandy..Manny...Mally! There was a March Hare - she couldn't remember his name - urmm Thakery, she thought it was. There was a floating..chessuire cat and then..at the very end of the table..._

_She expected herself to wake but she did not. The man at the end of the table, instead looked up and she saw two emerald glowing eyes in the darkness. He looked pleasantly shocked and rose to his feet. Alice held her breath as the madman came onto the table and walked down it, as it being the shortest route to her._

_He knelt down in front of her to talk to her (which at this time she was two feet tall still) and he had a bemused expression upon his face. He was wearing raggred and scorced top hat with a pink salmon ribbon around the rim. It had two gold pins sticking out and a 70% label still on the side. He wore a threadbare dark velet coat hung loosely on his thin frame. His eyes had heavy bags of tiredness but it had seemed to evaparate the moment he spotted her._

_She felt worried for him as he beamed down at her and whispered "It's you."_

_"No, it's not!" Mally the dormouse snapped at him. "McTwisp brought us the WRONG Alice!!"_

_The man shook his head at his friend's words, eyes still fixed upon Alice. _

_"It's __absolutely__ Alice!__Your absolutely Alice! I know you anywhere!" He turned sharply round at his friends "I know him anywhere!"_

_He reached out without warning and seized her hand and pulled her back to the table with him, back the path he'd taken - over the tabletop. On the other side he plunked her down in the chair next to him (which already ahd books on to make her smaller self reach the table top) with a soft THLUMP._

_"Well as you can see, we're still having tea," he explained the now messy table in front of him. "It's all because I was obliged to kill Time waiting for your return. Your terribly late you know...naughtey!"_

_Why was this all very familair? Alice screamed at herself while she dreamt of the mad tea party. The words 'Frabjous Day' and Downal wyth Bluddy Begh Hid' as well as 'The Underland Underground Resistance' kept reminding her of key points. She focussed on the man who had been called Tarrant after he'd nearly lost his temper at the inocent Chessuire Cat._

_Then the dormouse said the fateful word..._

_"HATTER!" _

_

* * *

_

"HATTER!" Alice yelled, jerking awake, yelling it at the same time Mally had.

She gasped and put her hands over her face.

"Hatter...." she trailed off. "Oh no! Oh..Tarrant.."

One thing was certain - Alice had remembered her Hatter - and everything else for that matter.

* * *

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	10. Personal Chambermaid

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Nine**

"Yes, I am here to fill in as _your own personal _servant maid Mr Hightopp." the young dark haired girl said, fluttering her eyelashes and talking selectivily. Tarrant sighed, _why _was he now a ruddy love symbol target _now_?

Queen Mirana had to hide her laughter from the young maid.

"Charlotte, do I need to remind you that Mr Hightopp is _forbidden _to show affection to new maids at the castle?" she said ina teacher tone.

Charlotte winched, she'd forgotton.

"So your jobs will be checking if Mr Hightopp's room is clean every mid afternoon while he is having tea and to make sure his hat demands are in charge. Remember Malcom is his personal servant as you my dear are a _very _young woman." she recited.

The Hatter turned so the two women would not see him flush with embarrassment. He never had this feeling with Alice...well _she _had been _very_ different.

"Please excuse me ladies, I need to be going now." he said and he briskly walked away towards the doors to the gardens.

He walked until it was a safe distance away from the actual castle and sat down at the edge of the big fountain. He gazed at the streaming water and sighed again.

"Why are you taking so long?" he asked aloud, to himself. He imagined Alice there, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it comforting.

"I'm being as quick as I can, keep faith in me Hatter." she'd whisper in his ear. He turned and sadly she wasn't there._ Not a surpise_ he thought.

"Madness, marriage, mutiniy, mill, milliner, marry, mad, madder, maddest..." he hummered in a little tune.

"Are you investigating things that begin with the letter M?" a sly voice answered behind him. He turned and saw the March Hare.

"Yes indeed I was. I'm trying my bestest to keep my promises." he answered, turning back to the fountain.

"The ones Alice told you?" he asked, walking over and sitting by his side.

"Just one, though it was big enough to be several promises. I need to keep these promises to myself in making myself keep her promise and my madness is making that vey hard for me." he said in one breath.

Thackery nodded and patted his friend's back. "Let's play another letter."

"You start." The Hatter said, glad that he was here to cheer him up.

"Lollipops" he started.

"Urm..Laughter." The Hatter grinned.

"Laugh"

"Like."

"Likewise"

"Urmm.." the Hatter's imagination was running away from him and he poundered any word beginning with L. Though only one came to mind.

"Love." he answered relectantly and Thackery looked up.

"Can I ask you something, Tarrant?" he asked.

The Hatter froze, it had been ages since Thackery had called him Tarrant. And it had been ages as well since he'd called him Thackery.

"Go ahead, Thackery." he said.

"Are you in love?"

"I'm not too sure. The only love I've felt before was from my...my...my...." he faultered and stopped thinking. But Thackery was grinning.

"_Before_?!" he said, deside himself with glee.

The Hatter turned and raised his eyebrows. "What was wrong with my sentance?"

"_Before_, Tarrant. You impiled that it _before_, oyu had only felt that love. But this is _now_..."

The Hatter understood. "Now what are you saying?"

_Is he winding me up or hiding the bleeding obvious?_ Thacery thought and sighed.

"Never mind Tarrant. I feel like today has been the best day since...what happened. I don't feel...._insane _anymore....I think."

"I agree my dear friend. Only I out of the pair of us have I controlled it but lost it at certain times."

"Come Tarrant. Before those lovely ladies over there spot you." he motioned to the bushes where some teenage female servants were having a picnic.

"Too true my friend, _Muush_!" he hissed as Thackery laughed.

He watched his friend disapear towards the castle. _Sucker for love_. he thought and followed Tarrant.

* * *

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	11. I Can't Leave

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Ten**

Alice felt numb, number and more icilated in her world than she had ever been before. The hate that she was emitting from herlsef towards her mother's suitors was pushing Helana Kingsleigh's pacience. Ok, maybe not Hamish, she'd thought but then she had managered to find loads of other lovely lords who opened up to Alice; even if she didn't to them.

"Alice Kingsleigh, I demand that you open this door and acept one of these men's proposals!" she yelled through the door at her nineteen year old daughter.

"NEVER!" she yelled back and threw all her many engagements rings out the window. She had been given them as memories for them to remind her of them - but she didn't want them at all. She only wanted to return...

She sat down heavily on her bed, ignoring her mother's nagging voice through the door and hold her charm necklace. She understood all of the symbols now once she had remembered. The only thing she was clueless about was the silver locket that remained locked.

The watch was a reminder of how Time had been killed many times and not appreciated the murders for timewasters. The rabbit charm was obviously the White Rabbit named Nivens McTwisp, he was the Royal Page to the White Queen, Mirana of Marmoreal (now Crims) and the palace. The little red of hearts charm was a reminder of the Bloody Big Head (the ex-Red Queen, who owned the Jabberwocky, the creature who she was meant to slay and did so. The little key was the exact key she had to have to get through the hall of doors to Underland after falling down the rabbit hole. There was atea cup charm and this was for the tea party she'd gone to twice with her mad friends. Speaking of her mad friends the last charm was a small top black hat representing her mad hatter.

"Alice!" her mother continued. But Alice picked up a pena nd went to her writting desk. She sat down and started writting her letters, finishing her documents for the travel to China. She felt uneasy at the thought and she went back to remind herself of the meeting she'd had with Lord Ascort yesterday afternoon.

* * *

_"Cup of tea Alice?" Lord Ascort said kindly, greeting his young apprentice._

_"Yes please, cream two sugars." she replied and sat down. He handed her the tea and she sipped it quietly._

_"So," he started and Alice looked up. "Looking forward to trading Alice?"_

_"I suppose so," she said, stirring ger tea with the spoon. "it's just..well I feel like I'm not brave enough to stomach it all. I went on a voyage once and I was quite ill. Father joked that my weak stomach was my negative and my broad imagination made up for it."_

_"I miss him," Lord Ascort said somblrely. Alice nodded. "he was a very good man, your father. He helped me within my family as well as looking after the comapny and his family. A very compassionate man."_

_"How long would we be trading?" Alice had asked timidly. "I mean, so I can work out the predicted exports and imports."_

_"Well, we set sail on Saturday Morning, so that would mean we would - if business is good - be there for several years Alice."_

_Alice nearly spat her tea out. "And if business is bad?"_

_"It won't be bad Alice. This company had made very good progress ever since it started. I just say that in case."_

_"Still?"_

_"Maybe a year or two at the worse." he answered, sighing._

_Alice felt ridgid, several years....she was leaving something behind and it disturbed her. They talked for more than two hours, going over business plans and events that would happen. If anything were to happen within the comapny, then Alice would take over overall._

_

* * *

_

_I can't leave England, _Alice thought.

That would mean she was leaving her Wonderland behind. She needed to go back. And she had a feeling she belonged there.

So she decided to take matters into her own hands.

_To who it may concern:_

_I, Alice Kingsleigh leave my place at my father's company and offer it to my remaining family and Lord Ascort. _

_I will not come back, I have gone home to live the life I deserve.  
_

_Fairfarren all - Alice Jane Kingsleigh_

She rolled up the letter and slid it underneath her dress (a very un-ladylike) thing to do and opened the door. Her mother was no longer there and she could hear voices downstairs in the drawing room. Qucikly and quietly she ran on her tip toes to her father's old study where her plans for the voyage were. Someone would have to come and collect them and spot her note. She put it flat on the table and rested her pen on top.

She walked calmly downstairs and through the back door without being detected. She spotted a footman near a free carriage down the road and called to him. "Lord Ascort's Escate please" she said and he nodded, getting in and Alice took one last glance at her family home.

* * *

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	12. Reading His Diary

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Eleven**

_"Hatter?"_

_"Yes Alice?" he answered, tucking a strand of her golden locks behind her ear. They were sat in a quiet part of the Tugley Woods, fresh in colour and a small stream ran through the clearing they were in. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, reflecting off Alice's hair making her look more stunning than she already was._

_"Your not too bad yourself Hatter" she chuckled. He blushed - had he said it out loud?_

_"Have you any idea why a raven is like a writting desk?" she asked, looking at him lovingly. His heart skipped a beat and then broke out into a mad frantic dash. Odd as it was, this did not reflect in his normal features._

_"I haven't the slightest idea, Alice." he murmured. He put his left hand around her shoulders and she leaned into his shoulder, closing her eyes at the same time._

_"What are you thinking about?" he asked her. A small smile was playing amoung her lips and he, being a Mad Hatter, was very curious. She looked up at him through her eyelashes and sighed. She smelt of lavender and lilies, his favourite smells._

_"I've been considering things that begin with the letter L." she muttered, a soft blush appearing on her soft cheeks. He was intrigued and didn't realise that he'd pulled her closer to him until he looked down. Or had she shuffled towards him? He didn't know..._

_But what he did see and know was that her face was just below his...just in reach. He didn't hide his emotions well, he never had done._

_"Hatter - your eyes have gone pink" Alice whispered softly, telling him that he was correct. He thought about soemthing that had been playing on his mind for a while. He locked eyes with her and he thought if he should or should not. Self-conciously it seemed, he lowered his head until they were nose to nose, barely touching until..._

_

* * *

_

The Hatter jerked awake and shook his head. _What was that? _He asked himself.

**_A dream, idiot! _**another voice argued back sacasticly_. _

_Yes but why did I get that dream? _

**_I don't know do I? _**

_Your talking to me. _

**_Yes well technically your talking to yourself in you head Tarrant! _**

_Is that bad? _

**_Ask yourself!_**

The Hatter shook his head again and looked around. He was in his room at the castle and it seemed to be around mid morning time, judging by the colour of the sky out of the open window.

Why was he dreaming about this? About feeling that way towards Alice? He didn't think it were possible to be that deep with her - she was in fact his one true best friend he had. He had other friends sure who had known him longer. But it was weird - he didn't feel towards Mally like this did he? He never had. So then what was nagging at him?

He pulled out his diary (Mirana had suggested it due to having his head cleared out a lot as he'd gone to her for ideas to contain his madness) and jotted down some rough notes on the key parts of the dream. Sighing he got up, got washed and dressed and exited the bedroom: accidently leaving his diary upon his pillow when he usually kept it in his jacket pocket.

* * *

"Good afternoon Mr Hightopp" said a cheerful Charlotte as he walked into the dining room and sat down next to Mirana (as he always did) and poured himself a tea. "Good afternoon Charlotte." he replied and turned to Mirana. "May I talk with you...privately?"

She nodded and rose from her seat and they both left the hall for the Queen's meeting room.

Charlotte looked around and made sure she exited the hall without looking suspisous.

She walked down the quiet hallways to Tarrant's room and opened the door. She imediently spotted the diary and chuckled darkly to herself. Fianlly, she thought as she grabbed it and went to sit on the sofa. I can see what he thinks of me.

She was very disapointed however to find that it was mostly ramdom drabbles and lines from his head. She continued to get bored until the word ALICE was showing up a few times. She settled down in the seat and began to read.

* * *

"It was quite...worrying Mirana" the Hatter said, not knowing that his chambermaid was reading his diary in his room. "I don't understand the feeling I felt in the dream at all."

Mirana was quiet for a while until she spoke, chosing her words carefully. "Have you ever loved anyone before Tarrant? They make your insides all sqrimy and your heart feels like its beating faster. You get embarrassed easily if they pay you a compliment or they catch you out. They are your everything. If they weren't there then you would be sorely unahppy. Dose it make you feel like that?"

"So that is Love?" he asked, whsipering and altogether not sure why he was whispering.

"You looked after her Tarrant. You were worried about her. You felt very protective of her. You now miss her terribly and want her to come back. That, is Love Tarrant." she looked up smiling.

"How do you know how to describe it?" he asked.

"I don't. "she asnwered simply. "It's very hard to describe Love. There are many forms and it is a very powerful thing. More powerful than all your senses put together. It can also break you if it gose wrong. But being a bad thing, it can be the total oppisite and be the best thing that ever happened to you."

"Love..." the Hatter mused, playing with the words.

"So how was the dream phrased again? You said you were feeling weird..?"

"Let me go back to my chambers, I remember I left it upon my pillow by accident this morning." he said and they hurried out of the room and down the hallway. They got to the room and the Hatter walked in swiftly. They both gasped on what they saw.

Charlotte jumped up, not having heard their coming in and dropped the diary. The Hatter was gobsmacked, ok she was a flirty person but a stalker?

"Charlotte Edgecombe! What in the whole of Underland are you doing with Mr Hightopp's diary?" Mirana possitivly screamed, sounding more like her sister than her normal self. She was from the same gene pool: he didn't blame her. If she wasn't a young girl, he would of torn her apart for reading his private diary. He also felt very vunruble.

"I was...urmm..ermm..was..just.." Charlotte hedged, confused at what to say.

"I would never of thought you would use your privilage like this Charlotte! This is unaceptable!" Mirana continued.

"Don't fire me! This is the only job my family needs money for!" she begged. "I'm sorry Mr Hightopp!"

"We won't take away your job, just move you somehwere else. You won't be the servant of Mr Hightopp anymore. You can go look after the Twedles but if I catch that you have been taking advantage, then I will have no choice but to fire you." Mirana went on.

Tarrant just turned and walked out of the room briskly, clutching his diary to his chest. Stupid Charlotte, now he felt very open and like a target. Why won't Alice arrive back already?

* * *

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	13. Mirana Outraged

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Twelve**

Mirana was outraged, how _dare_ a mere maid (her newest one at that) read such a higher class of person's dairy. Poor Tarrant, he walked out of the room, clutching his diary – she felt guilty as she'd suggested the diary to clear his head. And now he might never do that again. She turned her attention back to Charlotte.

"Simply, unacceptable Charlotte! This is _outrageous_! I feel so disappointed in you!" she sighed in defeat. She had failed in her truce with one of her old friends. She promised she would take the secret of this child to the grave but was worried that the girl was beginning to figure Mirana out. This also made her very…weak while around her.

"I'm sorry Mirana!" Charlotte said, looking at her toes. "It's just that I…I like the Hatter. I think I'm in love with him." She felt like she was talking from her deepest heart strings and smiled foolishly like a little schoolgirl with a sill crush – which she was. She adored the Hatter and wanted him more than her other crushes. That was the main key point: _other_ crushes...

Mirana inwardly groaned. "Charlotte, dear you said that when you met McTwisp, Tweedledum and even that cowardly Stayne!" she said slowly. She knew better of the child and Charlotte was unaware of this. She seemed a sweet little maiden, but really she wasn't.

Charlotte glared at her, her temper almost instantly at its peak. She was prone to little comments made by others (usually Mirana) affecting her temper so badly and quickly. She seemed to match her sister's lack of self-control.

"I'm so sorry Your Majesty!" she said in a false tone that made Mirana roll her eyes to the ceiling. "I'm sorry you were the most perfect _bitch_ of the whole of Underland! But seriously I must and will need the Hatter. I am in love with him and there is nothing you can do about it!"

"You of all people would understand my relationship issues! I'm pretty sure that Tarrant Hightopp and I belong together. Screw that Alice, he adores so much!" she screeched. Mirana could of screamed at her herself if she wasn't so offended…and livid with anger.

"Charlotte Edgecombe! You cannot curse a heroine as mighty as Champion Alice who slain the Jabber…" Charlotte cut her off.

"I ruddy well KNOW!" she yelled. "She seems to be a bloody god around here! I don't understand why you of all people feel she is higher up than yourself! You are Queen after all!"

Mirana's patience with her was wavering away – it had been _years_ since she'd been this angry. If Mirana was from the same family and gene pool from her sister (which she was), she too also had to strain herself to keep her head. _(No pun intended)_

"Charlotte, please can you stop yelling! The whole castle will hear you!" Mirana said desperately, pleading with her with her big puppy eyes. But her vision had blurred and Charlotte could sense her forbidden anger coming closer and closer to the surface. Mirana was beside herself with very controlled rage. If her mother was here she'd teach Charlotte a lesson or two. Mirana however was more _delicate_ in that matter and hated these moments.

"Shut up! Just shut up! I hate you! You are the worst queen _ever_! The Red Queen at least knew when enough was enough!" Charlotte screamed and the door crashed open as she pushed it and ran down the hallways. Mirana sighed and bit back a dry sob. She had almost lost her temper and she was shamed of herself. She also was embarrassed as a simple little matter had caused a massive uproar.

Tarrant had been halfway down the corridor when the shouting had begun and paused in his haste but set off quickly enough when Charlotte emerged from the room and marched straight for him. Run! He thought and dashed quickly towards his hat-making room, bolting the door as he went.

Charlotte Edgecombe was a stubborn woman, more stubborn than Alice and defiantly knew herself inside out. She marched to the Hat-makers room and banged on the door. "Hatter! Come out!" she called through the door. The Hatter cringed; he hated anyone but Alice calling him that.

"Hatter sweetheart! Open up you shy minx I want to tell you something!" she banged on the door further. She was starting to get even more anger than before and she didn't want to get angry at Tarrant: anyone but Tarrant. But her impatience was wearing thin and she kept banging.

"Never! Go away yer cursing the white queen crazy stalker!" he barked through the door. He was fuming at her outburst and had heard every word of her shrieking to Mirana. He hated that she kept calling him 'Hatter' and if she did one more time…

"Hatter!" she called. He growled but didn't move from his crouched position near the clear window. "If yer call me that again, I will never even look at yer again!" he roared, hoping the threat would hold.

"You like it when Alice calls you that!" she called, still banging. "Open this door you crazy slurvish hatter and talk to me! I wanted to tell you that…" but she was interrupted by Mally poking her in the toe. "Owch! You stupid dormouse!"

"You better not be talking to me bitch!" Mally spat. The Hatter chuckled with amusement from inside, typical Mally. "I could stamp you to a pancake!" Charlotte screamed, aiming her foot for the dormouse but Mally dodged them lazily and yawned in boredom.

"Charlotte Edgecombe, you are under court order for harassing a senior member of white court." Called Nivens McTwisp nervously. He was scared of Charlotte after what she'd done to him.

"Mickey!" Charlotte said evilly and walked slowly towards the white rabbit. He was still as handsome as ever but she remembered the smell of his soft fur in the mornings…

"SEIZE HER!" called Mirana and the white knights seized Charlotte and pinned her in their arms. Still struggling, Charlotte looked up at the white queen with pure hate in her eyes.

The Hatter thought it safe to exit his hat-making room and closed the door softly behind him. He looked at the queen, she had tears pouring down her cheeks and looking away from Charlotte. "Put her in the dungeons" he whispered to a knight and they obeyed him.

Charlotte had realised he was there and called to him as she was being carried away. "I love you Hatty!" she called. Tarrant rolled his eyes and sighed. He looked up the queen.

"Come on" he said and took her arm. She walked quietly with him until they got to her throne room. Closing the doors after telling the knights and courtiers to give them some privacy he turned to her. "Don't worry Mirana. I apologize for what happened."

Mirana shook her head. "It was my fault Tarrant. My fault I suggested the diary and I clean forgot about Charlotte being your chambermaid. I forgot to remind you to pick your diary up or call a knight to. I haven't treated Charlotte the way she needed to be treated and I've…I've embarrassed myself by feeling so angry! It has been years maybe even eons ago that I've nearly lost my temper!"

Tarrant was quiet for a second until he said. "Charlotte should be able to look after herself. She needed to be treated…differently I can see but I am still confused on why and how she needs to be treated differently." He mumbled. She looked up, wiped her tears away and sighed.

"I promised her mother…I knew her mother and urm…I promised to look after Charlotte _as if she were my own_ I remember saying to her. It was on her deathbed Tarrant and she had been my closest ever friend. I… I failed her." She said, remembering the pleading look on her best friend's face as her fever slowly but surely killed her insides and memory and then her heart.

"I can understand now." The Hatter said and patted her back softly. He knew what it was like to lose someone special – well he'd lost a whole family of special people…and maybe even his dearest Alice. _No_, he mustn't think that! She was coming back, it had been promised by her! He would wait.

"Tarrant, my friend." Mirana said. "I'm sorry, so sorry about Charlotte. I need to help her but she is turning against me! I don't know what to do at all!" she said.

"I shall help you." He said. He liked a challenge; it would take his mind away from Alice anyway. "are you sure?" Mirana asked. He nodded and looked out at the mid day sunlight. He would not lose his mind, for Alice and for the better good.

* * *

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	14. Back Again

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Thirteen**

She sat down slowly, careful not to accidently slip in like she did last time round at the mouth of the hole. She felt a long awaiting adrenaline rush pour into her and she was exited. She'd made it back, she'd made her choice. She was leaving her world for another, her favourite, her own little Wonderland.

She would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous and scared, that was natural to her. Beforehand though her curiosity had driven her literally over the edge here but now she was not too sure. Was she absolutely certain?

She was thrilled that the rabbit hole was still there and that she was still able to go back. The only thing stopping her was…her. She had a nagging voice in her head and it was making small distinct mutterings that she caught glimpses of, bring her regrets, guilt and nerves forward.

Images of Underland friends and foes filled her mind, making her remember her precious memories and vows to herself. She felt her eyes cloud over as she thought of each and every person…and thing that was significant. Cheshire, McTwisp, the March hare, the white queen, her sister the wicked red queen and her henchmen Stayne. She remembered the dodo bird, the tweedles and even the little hedgehog she'd helped. She remembered how the trees could talk and Bayard and his pups. She thought of the bandersnatch and Mally the dormouse and last but not least, the mad hatter.

_Oh how I miss them_, she thought and she felt tears prick in her eyes. _I must not regret my choice! I did what was expected of me. Ok, I feel that I have not made such a good choice in leaving Underland. Just slide down the hole and be done with it! You want to go back! What is stopping you?_

She was afraid she had not said her goodbyes that well to her family. Her mother and sister may be a pain sometimes but they were her family, they did love her after all. Should she run back and say goodbye? What if it was another trap?

She fought with her thoughts, still sitting cross legged in front of the hole that leads to her destiny. The hot sun beat down on her and sweat had run down her forehead.

_They are going mad down there! You mustn't keep them waiting! Think of the Hatter – your late as you normally are Alice and you cannot waste anymore time!_

She sighed and nodded to herself. The meadow she sat in was in full bloom and bursting with flowers. The ground she sat on was very warm from the constant stare of the July sun in the sky. Slowly, she moved so she was sitting on the edge, as if she were about to slide down a very long slide and held onto the edge until she counted to ten in her head.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten!

She let go and let the darkness swallow her up. She fell again for ages and hoped that she knew how much time had passed. But knowing Time in Underland was unpredictable after the Hatter had killed in waiting for her to return once more to eventually slay the Jabberwocky. She fell and fell until finally with a loud THUMP, she crashed upon the floor. Only she wasn't in the room of doors. She was in fact next to a sign that cleared had named: **CRIMS CASTLE OF IRACEBETH – ENTER OR BE SINNED ETERNALLY.**

"Don't I know it!" she scoffed and smiled. She found a pen in her pocket and drew a big cross on the words and instead wrote: **ALICE WAS HERE**.

Smiling to herself, she had a look around and saw nobody was around. She was quite alone at the moment.

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	15. Isla's Introduction

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Fourteen**

Tarrant was quite alone, even his madness mutters might have abandoned him at this tough time. He was in a garden of several graves that had been there for years, only now he thought it best to visit them.

They were his clan's graves, each and everyone of his family had a grave. He was kneeling in front of a marble one and it was bolder than the others. He had been advised by the white queen to visit the place where he once lived. It was ten years to the day of that fateful day and he had been scared at seeing his family graves.

He had looked through and placed flowers on each of the graves to each family member. His mother, his father, his uncle, his aunts, his cousins, his own brothers and sisters and last but not least his spouse. He hadn't worn his wedding ring since that day and swore he would never in the future. Why wear it when his loved one would not even be alive to see it? It was a sad tale for his past.

When Tarrant had been awarded his talent at hat-making and moved to the castle than at home in Witzend, his family had arranged an event for the New Year and invited new clans to Underland round for tea. A few weeks before the event and their deaths, he'd been asked to look after his little twin sisters, Tulia and Teresa. They were his soft-spot when it came to his sisters. He was the eldest and he was also the one to look after the younger ones. His father was always busy in the family trade and his mother was a dress-maker for all the finest ladies of the land. He had trained from both of his parents and had to pass it along to his children (if he even had the thought enter his mind!). He never thought of having children himself and neither was he in a hurry to. He was twenty years old and it was on a very sunny day, he was taking his sisters out.

Teresa and Tulia loved their oldest brother. They had younger brothers Lien and Sonny but they preferred Tarrant. They also nicknamed him 'Ranty' as even in those sane days, he used to ramble or rant as they thought.

* * *

_He was walking down the busy Witzend Street, hand in hand with his younger sisters. They had bee claiming that they had no more Candy sticks which they adored. Tarrant was the only one who would allow such a thing and they felt Tarrant was a better father to them than their real father as he was always so busy._

"_Ranty! Can we go to the fabric shop as mother stressed she was really low on pink silk and she needs to finish Lady Flower's ball gown for tomorrow." Teresa blurted out. He chuckled. "Yes, we can. I want you two to behave this time."_

_They giggled in unison, which was impossible, they had a secret stash of candy sticks and Tarrant hadn't a clue. _

_As soon as they entered the shop it was utter chaos. They flew around the room and Tulia had emptied a whole box of new threads. Tarrant shook his head in disbelief. He called to them but they didn't listen to him. _

_He groaned and went over to them but they ran around him. "Girls, please come here! It's like looking after Chess!" he groaned. None of them noticed a small but pretty young maiden walk into her shop from behind the till and gasp in surprise. She saw a young man chasing two little girls and some of the boxes had been emptied. The man she saw was very handsome and attractive. She saw he wore a dark black top hat which design was magnificent._

"_Excuse me?" she said, trying to restore calm. They all stopped and as the girls were distracted; Tarrant snuck up behind them and grabbed them. _

_They screamed in unison until Tarrant put both of his hands over their mouths. He looked up and saw the pretty girl. She was ever so pretty with very long eyelashes. He felt his heart squeeze and he smiled weakly at her. "So sorry milady. These two have been giving me some grief."_

"_No, doesn't matter." She smiled. She liked this man and he seemed to like her too. But he had little girls. Was he taken?_

"_Your daughters are welcome to run around the store, I know children are very determined to be free. I adore them." She lied. She hated lying through she was good at it._

_Tarrant grinned and looked down sheepishly to his sisters. "These aren't my daughters! This is Teresa and Tulia, my twin sisters!" he exclaimed. "What is your name by the way?"_

_She stood up and beamed at him. "My name is Isla, Isla Lady."_

"_What a peculiar name!" Tarrant exclaimed. He was amazed at a surname like hers. "Simply an interesting surname!" He sorted out the thread and fabric until he had an idea._

"_I must make you a hat!" he said excitedly. Teresa and Tulia rolled their eyes._

"_Ranty, you only make hats for special people like Queen Mirana." Teresa said. The Hatter blushed pink and looked at his sister. "Don't boast Teresa, it's not nice. I may be a Royal Hatter but there is still no need to boast."_

_He turned back to Isla. "Nice to meet you, Miss Lady. Good day!" and he and his sisters had walked out of the shop. He'd forgotten to tell her his name, she'd thought and sighed. She'd caught his nickname 'Ranty' by his younger sisters but what did that mean?_

_A few weeks on from his meeting with the charming lady, Tarrant had been busy in his plans for more hats for the Queen and had been buried in his workshop all week. Miss Lady had been walking along the path to Hightopp Manor to visit her old friend, Sian Hightopp and heard busy working from the little hut. She'd been looking for the nice and calm gentlemen and was glad when she'd spotted him through the window. She hadn't dared entered but had snuck round the front and rung the doorbell. Sian himself answered the door and hugged Isla on welcome._

"_My dear Isla! So good to see you again! It appears that Henrietta and Stutz have visited the palace. Tarrant although is out back in his hat-making hut. I'll go call him." And he left her in the hall. She'd been patiently waiting until she saw the nice man come in._

"_Ah hello Miss Lady!" Tarrant exclaimed and smiled at her. So his name was Tarrant._

_Sian, being Tarrant's father and admirer, he saw the spark between the young couple and had started match-making to the lovebirds. Soon after this, Tarrant had starting courting Isla and they were both reasonably happy together._

_

* * *

_

The real Tarrant sighed as he remembered his old bride, how he missed her. But he must think of Alice, she would be back before he knew it. He knew that he would be a better man to her than he was with Isla. Isla had been his first 'love' and now he was worried he loved Alice – and even if it did, what would he do when she appeared?

He groaned and placed the last bunch of flowers on Isla's grave, kissing the gravestone and getting to his feet.

"I was horrible to you Isla. But only because you broke my heart – beyond repair is what I thought. But now I feel for champion Alice and…" he trailed off, tears in his eyes and walking away – wiping his eyes quickly.

* * *

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	16. Isla's Affair

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Fifteen**

"All together now!" Mally the dormouse exclaimed in an attempt to raise the mood of the tea party. Tarrant had fallen into a deep slumber and his hat was covering his eyes. He just held up two fingers in a claw-like gesture – a warning to keep her voice down.

"Well at least I'm trying to lighten the mood!" she sighed dramatically. He groaned and closed his eyes tighter. He had a really sore head and wished to just be in peace…not for long.

"Hello Mr Hightopp, Miss Mally and Mr Thackeray." Said a cool and calm voice. Mally looked up and drew her hairpin out. "Away you slimly maid who reads into other people's private diaries!" she cried. Tarrant groaned and took his hat off his head and placed it carefully on the table.

"Please leave us alone" he answered Charlotte, staring at his hat while he spoke. Charlotte rolled her eyes and snorted. "Yeah like I give a _Bander_!"

"Do not curse the Bandersnatch in front of us!" Thackeray said loudly and threw a tea cup at her. She caught it and sat down halfway along the table and poured herself a tea. "What are we talking about?" she asked, taking a biscuit and stuffing it in her greedy face. She spat out crumbs as she continued to speak.

"You must have something to talk about. How about …that weird crazy girl who thought this world was made up? I cannot remember her name…wasn't it…oh yes – it was ALICE." She continued evilly, leering at the hatter. He stiffened and started fiddling with the salmon pink ribbon around the hat.

"You should be in the castle" he said, not looking at her for fear of loosing his temper. She snarled at him and threw a spoon at him. The spoon hit his head but he didn't move or flinch. He felt as emotionless as the calm White Sea to the south of Underland.

"You should learn some manners" he muttered quietly.

"You should learn to stop being so bloody miserable all the time!" she spat right back. Mally threw her hairpin at Charlotte and it hit her in the cheek. "OWW!" she said and Mally ran for it. Thackeray got up to find where they'd gone. Now the hatter was alone.

"#Tinkle, Twinkle little bat,

How I wonder where you're at,

Up above the world you fly,

Like a tea tray in the sky…#"

He continued singing it over and over to himself until he fell face forward into his slice of cherry cake, asleep. While he slept, another unwanted memory floated to the surface in his brain...

* * *

"Say it Tarrant!" said a cold and icy voiced Isla Hightopp as she glared at her husband's defeated face, "Tell me you don't love me anymore!" Her eyes were a dangerous and her face was bright purple. The words rang around the small and inocent cottage they stood in, keeping them safe from the full-gale storm outside, the wind wooshing around and the rain pelting the roof.

Tarrant looked at his wife and mentally sighed; looking away from her beady glare was silent. He thought again, the image of Isla kissing that...horrible man just this afternoon - remembering how his heart had been wrenched and he had howled in pain. He had gone to find her as she'd been out walking for longer than usual; but only to find her in a very intimate embrace with the knave of hearts, the young and new Ilosovic Stayne - the handsome no-gooder, running off with pretty young ladies.

He'd seen Isla before and flirted with her terribly and Isla hadn't been able to resist him. Isla had been alone one day at home while Tarrant had been at the castle, making hats for the queen when the enemy knave had come to visit Mrs. Hightopp, at first to demand money off her or kidnap her. But everyone has a soft spot and the knave took one look at Isla humming to herself as she hanged out the washing and he was in deep. He convinced her to leave Tarrant, not at first but to cheat against him. She had done so.

She had felt neglected and felt more of an object by Tarrant, he had been thinking of trying for children and expanding his family and Isla felt more like a tool than his wife did. She had been behind her own husband's back for several months with Stayne before he'd caught them today, the day he was promoted to Royal Hatter. He'd gone to find her and...felt his heart break. He'd walked numbly away, his-self not wanting to accept the truth. She thought she'd loved Tarrant all these years, and she'd been scared of the idea of children - she hated them. Her father had treated her as if she were vermina nd she'd learned that they were. Tarrant had needed to stop her lashing out on his younger sister Teresa once when she'd borrowed her needle without asking. She'd returned it but Isla had overeacted - as normal.

"Isla...you have hurt me more than I ever thought you would," he started, turning to her. "But...I have a good and _faithful _heart - I don't understand why you think you can show your face around here anymore. Get out - go to that knave! I told you to come to me before if their were any problems in the marriage!" he sighed deeply and turned away. "I said you can leave, Isla." he mumbled.

"Tarrant..." she said. She could not let a relationship as long as this like this, with him winning.

Tarrant whirled around and roared at her. "_GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!_ I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN! I HOPE YOUR HAPPY WITH STAYNE! HE ONLY WANTS YOU FOR SEX! AND I CARED ABOUT YOU! I THOUGHT YOU LOVED EM AND YOU NEVER DID! YOU TURN ON MY FAMILY! YOU USE YOUR PAST AS A FEBLE EXCUSE! WE COULD OF HELPED YOU GET OVER IT! YOU HAVE HURT ME AND I WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU FOR IT! SO IF YOU DON'T MIND I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT YOU ARE NO LONGER WELCOME IN THIS HOUSEHOLD AGAIN!" he stormed upstairs and slammed his door shut. He leaned against his window and the tears raced down his cheeks. He desevred better than Isla, she had hurt him. He knew he may have been a bit harsh on her with the kiddie talk but it was just how he was. He couldn't help it. He sat up there, not moving for several hours until he'd fallen asleep. When he'd gone downstairs in the morning, Isla had gone. But she'd left a note on the table. With a trembling hand, Tarrant picked it up and read:

_I'm sorry Tarrant._

_

* * *

_

From that day onwards, he swore to be ever careful about who he would love. That is when he'd sealed his heart off from everyone. Only it was harder now. He felt like he had fallen for Alice. But she would never hurt him. What they shared, had was true love, not the jealous love or first 'love' like with Isla. She would look after him. And he would conterwise. He then regretted kissing his ex-wife's gravestone.

* * *

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	17. Isla's Death

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Sixteen**

Tarrant Hightopp was a very fine hatter, it was a statement of truth. But another would point out that he was turning madder. The feelings Alice made him feel made him question his late wife's actions towards him. Already had he visited the grave and memory of the break down of the marriage and when he met her. But Isla Lady had been a tricky devil, never knew how he felt, even when his eyes or darkness of his eyes was giving off his mood. Alice however knew exactly when he was angry, sad, and happy or just his normal self. It made him realize that he'd wasted a part of his life on a woman who probably never loved him.

His old friends who had known him as a little boy and seen him through his life, Mirana and McTwisp as well as Mally and Thackery knew he was wrong. They knew how Tarrant often regretted some things easily if it had ended not well. The questioning of his marriage to Isla Lady of eight years was a bad place to start. And it had only started as another young female had set the feelings alive in him.

Mirana who often assured him he was incorrect to question Isla's memory was a bad thing and set him off again. But he never listened. Isla had been wrong to him and he'd been (what he'd thought to be) so in love with her. But he had not felt a connection to how Alice had made him feel and to how his wife had made him feel. Alice, the young hero for Underland, Champion to the White Queen who had slain the Jabberwocky to clear the path for the Underlandians, had helped them and rescued Underland. Was it admiration that he felt for her or just a bond as he'd seen her when she was younger?

He'd seen her save herself from her 'imagination' when she was younger, thirteen years younger he hastened to add. He, truth be told had still been married to Isla at that time. She died when the rest of his clan had died, on that fateful day - a few years after she'd come and the returned to 'her world'. It had pained him to see her leave without saying goodbye properly. He'd missed her and maybe it had been the thought of little children hanging around that would have soothed his grief at Alice leaving? But he'd wanted children and told Isla beforehand, how would that be logical? He'd been the gentlemen of course to wait...several years before saying "Look Isla, I think we both know that I want kids, to carry on the family tree." That had been a few years before she'd entered his life. She was a like a little niece that he'd spoil like his twin sisters.

Then that horrible and terrifiying turn for the worst had happened. He looked back at it now.

* * *

_"Tarrant!"_

_He turned around and saw Isla Hightopp running towards him, lifting her skirts high enough so she could run without tripping over. He paused and sighed. Now or never, he thought and kept his somber expression on his face as she stopped, panting in front of him._

_There was a moment's silence as Tarrant fiddled with his fingers and Isla thought the words up. She was terrified of loosing Tarrant and she had thought her actions through, she had been bad and Tarrant had been right to explode back at her._

_"You were right. I was wrong and I am a terrible wife to you Tarrant." she said softly, looking at his weak expression. His eyebrows rose and looked at her skeptically._

_"Pardon?" he said._

_"I'm sorry. You were right, I was...it was bad to go behind your back like that. Please don't tell me the marriage between us is over!" she said, a tad shrilly at the end of her sentence. He sighed deeply._

_"I...know that you regret everything Isla. In my head I worked out that you did not mean all those things you did. In my head you have already apologized and sadly, I...cannot forgive you for it. I meant it when I said you'd hurt me. Things cannot go back to 'normal' as you put it. It would not be healthy, or right." he said sadly, lookign over at her upset and tear-stained face. _

_"So this is it? The end to the most realistic and happy time of my life?" she asked. He looked at her disgusted. "You call being with me, a loyal husband and innocent hatter, and cheating behind my back with a filthy knave the best time of your life? You were murdering my sanity Isla! I went crazy and threw half of your thing out the window when I told you to get out of my sight. I don't want anything else to do with you. That is final. Goodbye." he then started to walk off._

_It hadn't been until later that he'd found himself to be loaded with guilt himself. His mind had told him to do whatever it took to go and forgive Isla. But as he thought it a darkness fell over the scene._

_The Jabberwocky loomed over the whole festival and Time stood still in fear. The first thought in his head was help. The Jabberwocky roared and a jet of fire came rooting from its mouth and as a horror-struck Hatter watched, it rained upon his twin sisters Teresa and Tulia and burnt them to a crisp. His howl of pain echoed as the other clans started to run for cover. He saw Queen Mirana; she should be the first one top rescue. Her horse reared and her crown fell off. He grabbed the horse's reins and tugged it away. He led her to safely and returned desperate to save someone else. Only there was only one body he saw and he gasped in horror of it. It hadn't been burnt, it had been cut at and stabbed. He saw the Knave of Hearts, Stayne the man who cheated with his wife, leave his wife's body and get upon his horse with the Vorpal Sword and rode away. He walked quickly over to her._

_The Knave had murdered his wife. Isla Hightopp was no more. She had been silenced and cut top pieces. Only the Hatter recognized her and he wished he didn't. He screamed as he felt her cheek, drenched with her own blood and more fell out of the huge gaping hole on her forehead. She lay in a pool of her own blood and Tarrant felt his mind crack and run wild. He saw another hat beside Isla and put it on his head: a memory to this horrific day. The day his clan died, the day that his wife had been murdered, not by the Jabberwocky, but by her lover, Ilosovic Stayne. _

* * *

The Hatter shuddered at the memory and sat up carefully, watching his surroundings. He would not feel guilty. The Isla had forgiven him in his brain and he believed she could hear his mad thoughts. He should have avenged her when he had the chance on Frabjous Day. The next opportunity he had, he would kill that murdering bastard.

* * *

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	18. Chess Welcome

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Seventeen**

Alice was walking around a rock when she heard a sneaky voice. "Tut, tut Alice, you shouldn't be here." She turned and beamed. "Chess! Thank goodness I found you!" she grabbed him and scratched him behind his ears making him purr. He chuckled and looked at her seriously. "Why are you here?"

"I went down the hole and found myself here! _Well_ just outside the Red Castle. I drew on the sign!" she giggled. Chess disappeared and then reappeared. "You naughty girl" he tufted. She smiled. "Where are we then?"

"We are on the coast of the Red Sea, the Crimson Desert in fact. A very hot day is not good for the champion. I chose you wish to get to Marmoreal?" he asked. She shook her head. "I need to see Hatter." She stated, tears in her eyes.

"Dear Alice, why do you cry?" he asked and produced a tissue. She took it and wiped at her eyes. "I feel so guilty for leaving him. I did nothing of any good and nearly made a huge mistake!" she sobbed. He patted her on the back. "Hold onto my tail and hold tightly. I can take you to him at once." He assured her. Alice held on and closed her eyes. A second later, she felt no more under foot but soft and green grass.

Opening her eyes she saw she was in a wooded area which was very familiar. "Alice, we are here, you destination, Tulgey Woods, just where the Hatter was last seen. Well truth is told he was last spotted at the…." He trailed off and changed the subject. "Both way, we are here and so should Tarrant. Let's go hunt for him."

They started walking around the woods and Alice was glad to have a companion, even if he disappeared every now and again in a poof of purple haze.

"You are welcome to evaporate easily as I do." He said, in his normal sly voice with innocent surprise. "But I don't know how to evaporate!" she said shortly. He chuckled.

"Lady Alice, surely you must realise that the connection you have to this world?" he drawled and she looked up. "Yes…" she asked.

"Well, if you think hard enough, then you can evaporate. Evaporating skills are hard to come by, _especially_ by those who feel a need for it to live their day. The Hatter for example has very poor skills and prefers to walk by foot and mallow." He looked at her carefully, noticing the slight tinge to her cheeks at the mention of his old friend.

"Why are we here Chess?" she asked, changing the subject. Surely the Hatter would be at the castle?

Chess smiled at her "We aren't far away. He has just taken to walking around the place after his tea parties, helps him pass the time and that is sort of ironic." he muttered the last part, almost to himself.

"Well then let's go!" Alice said making the cat jump. "Hold on a second, I think I can hear him." Alice looked alarmed and sighing Chess answered, "I am a cat Alice." she nodded. Chess smiled. "Let's go. Meet you there!" he said.

"Chess!" Alice called. He re-appeared and yawned. "I've escourted you both times when you came back, surely you know the way by now?" he disapeared before she answer. Huffing Alice walked slowly through the undergroth.

"I'm going to kill that cat" she muttered to herself when she walked into a clearing in the trees. Each way she looked was dark and un-inviting. "CHESS!" she yelled. "IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR GUDLER'S SCUT HERE RIGHT NOW, THEN I WILL SLAY YOU!"

She heard a twig snap behind her and she turned around sharply. Her eyes widened in disbelief and her eyes filled with happy tears. She flung herself at the person standing there.

"_Hatter_!"

* * *

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	19. United Again

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket  
**_By Rurple101 &_ _BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

**Chapter Eighteen**

The Hatter was at his tea table this morning having woken up later than normal; he'd hurried to set up the table ad get his friend's settled. It was mid afternoon when he'd fallen asleep in his tall chair at the opposite end of the clearing; facing the hedge the clearing in the hedge where twice before Alice had wandered through before.

It had been a week since he'd mourned his family's deaths at their graves and remembered their smiling faces, and he was feeling a lot better for it. He felt like some kind of weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Since he'd started the tea party, he'd been their for several days, never exchanging his chair for his bed as he couldn't sleep for nightmares inside. He felt like a caged animal which people poking him with sticks while he slept, prodding him awake when the nightmare got to its worse.

It was the eighth day in these proceedings, which he'd woken from his slumber with a headache. He groaned but kept his eyes closed; he was too tired and was catching up on sleep like a very good soap opera. He sighed and lent back deeper into his chair and moved his hat over his eyes, to give his eyes a rest from the harsh brightness of the sun glowing in the sky.

What was he going to do about himself? He needed to stop fussing over his Alice-absence. Thackery looked up and smiled at him encouragingly. The Hatter sighed and put his hat on his head the right way and got up from the table.

He excused himself and hurried off into the thicket of the woods. He walked for what seemed like hours to him. He sat down on a tree stump and looked around.

Why was it when he was angry or upset and he stormed off - that he always ended here, at the old Village Square of his old town? He heard faraway voices - were they memories of the many screams? He listened for a moment. No they weren't. Curious, he got up and started to explore.

He walked towards the edge of the forest and he could have sworn he heard Chess. Then he walked quickly - it was a reaction beyond his reach - why did he feel so happy? He walked faster and faster until he spotted someone. Only it wasn't just someone at all.

Standing with her back to him was his Alice. The Alice, Champion of Underland. His heart rose in his chest and he felt teary eyed- now he understood Alice's 'happy tears' expression. She was shouting.

"CHESS!" she yelled. "IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR GUDLER'S SCUT HERE RIGHT NOW, THEN I WILL SLAY YOU!" she was fuming. Was it a good choice to say hello now? he decided badly on it and stepped quietly away but trod on a soft twig and it snapped, making his presence known.

She whirled around and for a second, Tarrant froze and his eyes went straight to hers, the shinning blue ones he'd missed so much. He then felt the shock and surprise flit upon his face. His mouth fell open and the next thing he knew, he had her warm embrace around him. He felt very dizzy.

"A-Alice?" he said, his head spinning. Was it the force of her charging into him or just the shock? He thought. She looked up and wrapped her arms tighter around him. Her charm necklace dangled from her neck and she was wearing another pale blue dress, like the one she wore the last time she visited but this had longer sleeves which went to her wrists. Her top was a little lower and her dress was a soft material, maybe silk.

She was also crying. She stopped and reached her hand to wipe something wet on his face. She pulled back and she had a tear on her finger. He was crying as well? He shrugged and smiled his normal gap-toothed grin, which she had missed. She sighed and really did not want to let go of the Hatter. She straightened up and wiped her tears away. She looked at him properly and smiled. He didn't want to let her go but did so, as it was the right thing to do. He was a gentleman after all.

"I missed you, Hatter" she whispered and smiled again at him. He clasped his handkerchief as he wiped his eyes and smiled back. "Well you are late - AGAIN!" he chided her affectionately. She grinned a rebellious grin and took his hand in hers.

Then the Hatter stopped. Was she the real Alice? Was she a hallucination? He didn't think he was this bad...was he?

His expression turned fearful as he remembered last time that she had questions needing to be answered. "Are you staying?" he asked in a deadly whisper.

She looked stunned for a moment and then remembered her promise. Her returning grin made the Hatter worry. Was she laughing at him?

"Hatter, Hatter, Hatter, what am I going to do with you? Of course I'm staying." she whispered gently.

This answer was better for the Hatter and he grabbed her and spun her round like he had once before when she had been little. He cuddled her properly now and breathed in the old scent of strawberries in her hair and her cinnamon smell. It was so good to have her home with him.

"You kept me waiting...naughty" he teased. She blushed slightly and nodded. She put her puppy eyes on and hung her head. He chuckled and pulled her chin up to meet his face. There was a pause. Alice just stared at the face that she had missed ever so much. Even though she had half forgotten her mad friend when she went back she did now and was happy for it. She could now remember the man she adored to pieces.

Then they heard a ghostly chuckled and sly voice. Chess appeared from thin air and watched the scene below him. "Ah Chess. Just the cat I wanted to find." Alice said, breaking eye contact with a quick wink at the Hatter. She reached up and grabbed him by the tail.

"You run away again and I'll force myself to attack you, you got that Chess? You had me scared for a while then." Chess nodded and curled around her shoulders onto her head. She rolled her eyes and turned back to Tarrant.

He smiled and took her hand in his and guided her out of the Forrest. They walked in silence but Chess's purrs as he slept onto of her head. She sighed happily and liked the sensation of the Hatter running his thumb over her hand as he held it tightly. She was glad to be back, back with her hatter.

* * *

**Mine and Jazz's favorite chapter to think of and write! Took us a while - sorry for long wait but it was deserved!**

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	20. Finale

**Six Charms and a Locked Locket **

**Chapter Nineteen**

**FINALE**

It was great and magnificent to have her back, he thought as he sat on his stool in his hat-making room. To have her back in Underland, with her friends and with him. It made the Hatter feel strange, should he be angry? Alice had voiced aloud on a walk around Marmoreal that she was waiting for the explosion. He could understand why she'd worry.

"_It is so good to have you back, Alice. It really is!" The Hatter exclaimed quietly – not wanting to wake the sleeping Cheshire cat upon her golden hair. She beamed back at him, a grin that he had missed for ages. How long had it been? She chuckled and sighed happily. "It's only been two weeks in my family's world since I last saw you."_

_Had he said that aloud? "Yes you did" she answered. He had to stop himself. "I don't mind, I missed you Hatter and it's good to have you around again." She squeezed his hand deliberately and smiled. His answering grin was breath-taking. He really didn't know how to even start to explain how he felt when she had left._

"_You're not angry at me are you?" she asked, a frown breaking her beam and etching her forehead. He frowned, he wanted the grin back. He slowly shook his head to the side. "Why would I be angry at you?" he asked, deeply confused._

"_I was gone too long, I was hurting you and don't tell me I didn't because Mally, Thackeray and Chess told me earlier!" she said shrilly. He sighed heavily – now he understood her. He couldn't blame her at all. He knew why she would worry. Maybe she didn't want to be with the madman he was! Maybe she had realised the danger she was in! His panic obviously showed clearly on his face and in his eyes._

"_I'm sorry Hatter." She said softly and lowering her head slightly. Chess grunted in his sleep and shuffled around before settling. Hatter sighed. "I'm not angry at you but I understand why you would not want to hang around with me Alice. I'm a dangerous madman; I am the Mad Hatter, I..."_

_He never finished as Alice had grabbed his face and put her hands on it as she had many months ago. "You are __not__ dangerous. You just get out of control. But I can help you. You and Mirana said it yourselves. I can bring you back when nobody else can. And I know that if you did hurt me in a rage, I would have deserved it and I would __always__ forgive you. You're my best friend Hatter and I know you care about like a brother. It's not your fault you think you are dangerous because you don't believe in yourself do you?" she asked at the end of her speech. _

_He just nodded numbly. "I'll always be here for you Hatter" she said, bravely and patted him on the shoulder and removed her hands from his cheeks. "But there will be an explosion soon, I can sense it Alice and I don't want to scare or hurt you." He admitted in a small voice. _

_She shrugged "We cannot avoid Fate, Hatter. It is a thing we all must live with. That's life and how we should let it be. I will always forgive you, I promise." She said simply and kissed his cheek softly. He smiled and took her hand before they continued their walk without mentioning his sanity again._

How could he be so lucky to have such a friend as her? She kept her promises and he knew she was right. But even if she didn't know it, he would always be there for her as well. Getting up from his stool and pulling on his jacket as well as washing his hands in the stone basin, he walked out of the room and down the stairs towards his chambers. His hat-making room was in a small tower and it was all to himself. It was good to be friends with the White Queen if you had a passion of the trade. Another friend he felt like he didn't deserve.

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Alice looked up happily as she saw the Hatter emerge from the stairwell. She bounded up to him from behind and wrapped her arms round him.

He flailed wildly. "Who's there?" he yelled as she attacked him.

Alice's laugh with he recognized immediately made him smile.

"Hello you." She said. "Have you been up there _all day_? My, my you do get absorbed don't you?" she muttered to herself.

She got off him and pulled him up and tugged him along the corridor. He felt very flattered by her interest in his mutterings, she was turning into him!

"Are you the charming man who made all the dresses for me and not even telling me that he made them?" she asked in one breath. He nodded shyly at her and a pink tinge went to his cheeks. She beamed and hugged him tightly.

"Their wonderful, just like you." She whispered in his ear, making a shiver go down his spine. She had no idea of the effect she had on him.

"Thank you for the dresses…and the several hats in my closet" she said, pulling back but holding onto his hands in hers.

He grinned. "It was my pleasure Alice. I'm also so happy that you came back. I was thinking of loads of words before on how I would feel if you came back and some were overjoyed, charmed, delighted, elated, over the moon and deliriously happy. Yet I know that I'm delirious but that doesn't mean that I…" he rambled.

"Hatter!"

"Fez…I'm fine. Another word to describe me now! I'm fine, as I was really sad when you left but again excited and delightful that your back here, with me and in Underland." He said gingerly. He let out a lot of information but the blush on her cheeks proved it wasn't bad at all.

"Thank you Hatter." She said.

"Tarrant." He corrected her.

"Pardon?" she asked.

"Tarrant Hightopp. It's my actual name. I'd long hated being called that but since Frabjous Day…let's just say that I'm…trying hard not to feel guilty of my heritage and family. Despite it being a painful past, but I must remember that if I don't have the past, I would of never met you." He said, again he blushed slightly.

Alice was quite flattered and she had the blush creeping up her cheekbones as well.

"So you didn't go crazy while I left?" she asked.

"No, I kept my promise. Did you keep and remember via the locket?" he answered.

"Yes and partly yes." She said. She turned round and put her hand down the front of her dress to pull her locket out which was still attached round her neck. She held it out to him and smiled.

"What do you mean, 'partly yes'?"

So Alice walked him to her chambers, sat them down with a cup of tea each and told her side of the separation to him. He listened at some points with a scowl on his face at the mention of the many suitors and rude men talking to her as if she were dirt and a grin when she would have a certain dream remembering their friends.

"As soon as I remembered you, I remembered everything else." She stated. He nodded and smiled kindly at her. It was so good to have her back. Brimming with muchness, he pulled her into his arms in a hug.

Only he didn't stop and his face leaned in towards Alice's. He made eye contact with a wink and stroked her cheek with a thimble-covered finger. The cool metal of the thimble on her skin made her shiver and she leaned towards him as well, almost self-consciously.

They were nose to nose and she sighed. He trailed his finger until it slid off her cheek and held her face in his hands. Then he got even closer (if it was possible) and…

* * *

**THE END**

**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!**

**Me and Jazz – we laugh at you! The sequel will come by in the near future ;) Y**

**You love it really! – if this chapter gets more than 20 reviews then the sequel MAY come, sooner than later.**

**Hope you enjoyed the story – we did and we won't keep you waiting…..too long. **

**Thank you too all the lovely and wonderful people who reviewed and kept us going - no doubt you shall be the ones to throw things at the screen or yell at it instead (you choose).**

**Love you guys! **

**Keep spreading the muchness!**

**Love Jess & Jazz**

**x x x **


	21. AN

**Notice About Future Plans  
**_From Rurple101 & __BiGbLuEeYeS1136_

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**1)** There _will be_ a sequel - don't worry guys.

**2) **Will we do it together? Maybe, maybe not...not too sure but seeing as I wrote most of this story (but Jazz had most of the ideas) then me and Jazz might continue working as writting partners.

**3)** Plot suggestions, you may REVIEW THIS 'CHAPTER' (NOTICE) any suggestions you have and we shall mention you on the first chapter and possibly in later chapters if you have any more ideas.

**4)** Sorry about spelling and shortness of chapters 2 and 3 but they will be longer and i will triple check my grammer and spelling :)

**5)** We are very thankful and delighted you all reviewed - we got to 100 reviews! wow! Thank you for being so kind! Also becuase its annoying to type and review sometimes and easier to just press a button and 'add it to favs' lol.

**6)** I am dying to start the sequel but I have no real idea where to start (hehe maybe finish the kiss lol - also how would you know their gunna kiss?) lol.

**7)** we are two gilrs who love writting - enough said. Thank you and goodbye...for now.

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**A/N**_ please could you guys spend some time to also read some of mine and Jazz's other stories? For Jazz's, just copy and paste her name in the searth and there is a good story about Alice In Wonderland 201 - 'why oh why did you leave me?' It's about when Alice leaves and the Hatter misses her. Also there are the other main two stories I'm wirring - 'Alice Undercover' (chap3 up!) and 'An Underland Tradition' (chap4 up soon!)_


	22. SEQUEL !

**DID YOU LOVE THIS STORY? **

**SEE THE SEQUEL **

**_BOOK TWO: Interesting & Confusing Twisting Events_**

**NOW! AND PLEASE REVIEW!**

**YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!**

**X X X X X X X X XX X X X X **


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